Electrical system of recording and checking as applied to railway signaling.



Patented Sept. 30, I902; W. H.'M. WEAVER.

RMLWAY SIGNALiNG.

(Application filed June 1, 1901.)

( 0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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j iim'iflif? 1 N 43 g TWIN :r F v 3 jg W W/TNESSBS Q MI INVENTOH A 770/?NEYS -'No. 7l0,348. Patented Sept. 30, I902. w. H. M. WEAVER. ELECTRICAL svsrkzm 0F nzconums AND CHECKING AS APPLIED T0 RAILWAY SIGNALING.

(Application filed. June 1, 1901. (lo' Model.)

A TTORNEYS Un'itnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VVILIIIAM I I. M. \VEAVER, OF MACON, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT J. SPEIR, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF RECORDING AND CHECKING AS APPLIED TO RAILWAY SlGNALlNG.

$PEOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,348, dated September 30, 1902. Application filed June 1, 1901. Serial No. 62,705. (l lo model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. M. \VEA- VER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Electrical Recording and Checking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In order that my said electrical recording and checking apparatus and the purpose it is intended to serve may be clearly under stood, it is necessary to explain somewhat in detail the train-ordersystem under which trains are operated upon practically all of the railroads of the United States. For each division ofrailroad certain officials are provided whose duty it is to give orders to regulate the movement of trains, which orders are sent by telegraphers, hereinafter referred to as despatchers,who are located at the central oflice of the division, to other telegraphers, hereinafter referred to as operators, who are stationed at convenient points along the line of the railroad. Upon the receipt of the orders it becomes the duty of the operators to dis play the proper signal and deliver the orders to the proper officials in charge of the train to the movement of which such orders are intended to apply. While the despatchers and other officials at the central office of the go division have ample protection against errors in the transmission and reception of trainorders by means of repeating the messages, &c., they have not the advantage of an automatic device or coutrivance by means of 5 which they may with absolute certainty be apprised of the position of the signals at the various telegraph-stations along the line of the railroad. Such defect is designed to be remedied by the use of my electrical recording 40 and checking apparatus, which operates as a check upon the operator in the manipulation of his signal apparatus and also upon the despatchcr in a manner hereinafter more fully set out.

To illustrate, when an operator has received a train-ordcrfrom the despatcheratthe central office to be delivered to the ofiicials in charge of an approaching train and reverses the position of his signal the act of reversing the semaphore-arm or train-signal sets inoperation an electrical device by means of which a telegraphic sign is transmitted to the central office and duly registered by means of the despatchers telegraphic instrument and also by means of a time-recorder, hereinafter more 5 fully described. This time-recorder in the office of the despatcher will indicate the pre cise moment at which the signal apparatus was reversed by the operator and also the position in which such signal was permitted to rest. In like manner a time-recorder, to be located in the office of the operator, will indicate the precise moment at which the sig nal was reversed and the position in which it was permitted to rest, the record made by both time-recorders being practically identical.

To complete, as far as may be, my system of recording and checking, I have provided also a visual-signal or signal-indicator appa- 7o ratus at the despatchers office and also at each local train-order station along the line of road, which indicates the position of signals and which is operated at the same time and by the same means as the time-recorders above mentioned.

In carrying out these objects my invention consists in cerlain novel construction and arrangement of electrical and mechanical de vices, as shown on the accompanying drawings, in which the functions performed by each device working in perfect harmony and unison with the other devices contribute to the attainment of the general object, as hereinafter described.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a traindespatchers station and an operators station connected in accordance with my invention, the recorders and clock-gears being shown as dummies only. Fig. 1 shows detail views of 0 the visual-signal parts. Fig. 1 is a face view of the semaphore-signal arms, greatly reduced and shown in connection with the tripping devices and clock mechanism (which latter are shown out of proportion to the 5 arms for clearer illustration) for starting my system into action. Fig. 2 is an enlarged face view, partly broken away, of the signal-recorder. Fig. 3 is a section of the same on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of the commutator-disks H and I, and Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of the commutator-disks T and U.

Referring to Fig. 1, the telegraph-line is equipped with Morse telegraphic instru ments, such as are ordinarily used in railroad-offices for the sending and receiving of train-orders. At the despatchers station, on the left, the

telegraph-line is connected with the earth at- A, witha batteryat B, a relay at O, and a key at D. At the operators station, shown on the right, there are a Morse relay C and key D D, such station being connected in series with the line to other stations. At both the despatchers officeand the operators office there are a signal-recorder, a visual signal, commutators, and clock-gears, and at the operators office there is also a tripping device set into action by the movement of the semaphore-arms. At the despatchers station the electromagnets E E are the ones which act upon the recorder and not only record the time of the signal, but the kind alsot'.e., they record whether the signal is red or white, one of the magnets punching for red and the other for white. A similar recorder acted upon by electromagnets E E or E E is ar ranged at each operators station.

The recorder which I employ is one of special construction and is in the nature of an electric time-recorder and also a recorder of the character of the signal exposedt'. 6., whether it is red or White. Itis shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3. A pasteboard disk E having the hour and minute subdivision marked in circular graduations, is hung so as to be rotated by the clock mechanism E to correspond with the rotation of the hourhand of a clock. E E are the same two electromaguets which appear on the left hand of Fig. 1. They are both equipped exactly alike and are supported upon a plate E behind the record-disk E They act upon spring-armatures e e, which at their inner ends carry punching-Styluses e that pass through openings in plate E and act upon the record-disk E Adjustably seated in a plate E in front of the record-disk there are two set-screws 6 9', having hollow inner ends, as seen in Fig. 3, and set immediately opposite the two styluses, but on the opposite side of the recorddisk therefrom. When either magnet draws its armature and stylus forward, the stylus punctures the record-disk opposite the hollow end of the set-screw and at such point in the circular subdivision as to indicate the time of the day that the punching was done. One of the styluses punches on one side of the line I and the other on the other side, and this diiferentiates the character of the signals recorded1l.e., one side of the line Z is marked Red for a red signal displayed, and the other side of the line is marked White for a white signal displayed. A current passed through magnet E will therefore punch a red signal, and a current passed through E will punch a white signal, and thus will be recorded both the time and the character of the signal set by an operator. The recorder of the despatchers station will have a series of electromagnets E E corresponding to the number of operators stations, and the record-disks will have a corresponding series of red and white subdivisions. I have shown in Fig. 2 a second set of these subdivisions separated by a dividing-line Z and have indicated in dotted lines a second pair of electromagnets, which are to be equipped with styluses similar to those already described. The operators stations, however, need to have only the one set of electromagnets E E and the one set of red and white subdivisions separated by the line Z. The operators time-recorder should be locked up against being tampered with and be provided with telltale means for indicating if it has been opened.

I will now describe the visual-signal devices and the commutators for controlling the circuits. There is a set of such apparatus at both the despatchers office and each operators oiiice. Referring to that at the despatchers office, which appears near the top, the visual-signal apparatus is operated by suitable clockwork (marked Clock Gear No. 3) and is controlled by electromagnet J. F and G are brushes which make electrical contact alternately on the metal segments of commutator-wheels H and I, the intervening segments being composed of insulation. This apparatus is so constructed, controlled, and operated that when the visual signal is at rest one or the other of said brushes is making electrical contact with one of said metal segments and when said wheels H and I are in motion the electrical contact with one is broken before electrical contact with the other is made, as best shown in Fig. at. L represents a disk, the face of which is shown on the left of Fig. 1. This disk is mounted on the same shaft or spindle t as commutator-wheels H and I and is divided laterally through the center by a line the top half of which, as shown in Fig. 1", is white and the bottom half is colored red. At the top of disk L is a slot P and at the bottom of said disk is another slot P, each slot forming in its turn a notch or seat for armature-lever M. This disk Lis attached rigidly to the spindle 25 and isrso constructed and operated that when the controlling-magnet J acts on armature-lever M, causing it to be attracted to said magnet, the said disk is released at slot P and turns for one-half a revolution by force of a suitable clockwork and spring, (marked Clock Gear No. 3.) At the end of a semirevolution the armature-lever M by force of gravity or a spring engages with said disk at the other slot P. The propelling force eX- erted upon disk L must be so applied and adjusted, by means of cog-wheel leverages,

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as to admit of the easy withdrawal of the armature-lever M from the slot P by the attraction of electromagnet J. K represents a push-button, key, or cam-lever such as generally employed for closing electrical circuits. In front of the red and white disk L is a stationary plate .9, with a windows at one side of the center. In oneposition of disk L white shows through the window and in the other red. For each telegraph or train-order station along the line of road it would be necessary to provide the despatchers office with an additional visual-signal apparatus controlled, operated, and equipped as aboveindicated and an additional push button or circuit-closer K, making or breaking electrical connection with such visual-signal ap paratus, as above indicated, and also two additional lines upon the dial of the time-recorder and the duplication of the electromagnets E and E for each station added, as before described.

At the operators office there is a visual-signal apparatus L L, H H, I I, and S S in all respects mechanically constructed and electrically controlled in the same manner as that shown in the despatchers office. There is also a similar timerecorder at such operators office. It will be noted that the electromagnets controlling the visual-signal apparatus shown in the operators office are connected directly to the earth. There is also at the operators office a special electrical cut-off device, which is provided for the purpose of cutting out the operators Morse instrument and breaking the continuation of the line, and is described as follows: Electromagnet Y, controlled by local battery Z, governs the armature V V, bearing a contact which forms part of a Morse telegraphic circuit. In Fig. 1 is represented a track-signal or semaphore colored white on arm a and carrying in the center of said arm a lamp with white globes. Arm 1) of said signal or semaphore is movable and is colored red and carries in the center a lamp with red globes. 0 represents a housing or shading device for the purpose of receiving and obscuring on both sides such red arm of the semaphore when it is not desired as a signal. The white arm a is stationary, and the housing 0 is stationary. The red arm I) Z) swings about a center, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in one position is hid in the housing and in the other swings over and eclipses the white arm. The red arm Z) is made double, with one part on each side of the plane of the white arm, so that when the red arm swings over the white arm said red arm covers and obscures both sides of the white arm and changes a white signal to red. The red arm Z) is further equipped with cam-head c for the purpose of tripping a suitably-arranged trigger at H, controlling clockwork, (marked in Fig. 1 Clock Gear No. 1.) This clockwork carries a disk Q on a spindle, with a slot cut in the top at S and in the bottom at S. The same spindle t carries two electrical commutators or circuitinterrupters T and U, constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and controlled as follows: W'hen the clock is at rest, the brushes V and \V are standing on open circuit, resting on segments 3 of hard rubber or other insulating mate rial, cut in the circumference or rim of com mutator T, while brush X is standing on an open circuit, resting on hard rubber 03 or other insulating material, cut in the circumference or rim of commutator U. Upon the opposite sides of the circumferences or rims of comm utators T and U are duplicate pieces of insulating material. Com 1n utator T is best constructed of insulating material, carrying on its circumference or rim two segments of metal located on opposite sides, with a space of insulating material, as described above, on the rim between said segments of metal. Then the commutator T is at rest, brushes V and 'W, controlling the cut-out device Y, are standing on insulating material, thereby making an open circuit. Commutator U is constructed of metal and has a metal connection with the shafting. On the rim or circumference of commutator U there are, as before described, points of insulating material at such places 50 on diametrically opposite sides that when the commutator U is at rest the brush X is standing on a point of insulation or open circuit. It is well to state at this point that the insulating material on commutators T and U is so placed that the brushes V and N make electrical contact before brush X makes electrical contact. Commutator U is so arranged that brush X makes electrical contact with the line and ap paratus for a short time before the transmission of the telegraphic sign hereinafter provided for. Upon one-half of the circumference of commutator U there are provided suitable points of contact :0 Fig. (3, for making electrical connections, thereby transmitting to the despatchers oflice a certain telegraphic sign, which the dcspatcher will receive by means of his Morse instrument. Upon the opposite side of the same commutator provision is made at :0 for electrical connections and for the transmission to the despatcher of another and different telegrapic sign, these signs to indicate the position in which the signal is permitted to rest. Thus the three breaks of contact at would represent red and the four breaks at 00" would indicate white.

The practical operation of my electrical recording and checking apparatus is as follows: The dcspatcher at the central o'llice transmits to the operator over the line by means of his Morse telegraphic instrument D a message or train-order requiring a change in the position of the signal at the operators station. When the operator acknowledges the message by his usual O K sign, he leaves his Morse key D D on open circuit and reverses the somaphore-arm, bringing cam c in contact with trigger R, thereby setting in operation the clock-gear No, l. The despatcher in the meantime has left his key D at open circuit and by pressing the push button key K closes the circuit, thereby making a complete circuit from the earth at A, through battery B, relay C, electromagnets E or E, (according to red or white signal,) brushes F or G, as the case may be, segments H or I, as the case may be, through spindle t of clock-gear No. 3, electromagnet J, push-button K, on to the line, and over the line to the local station at point of contact on shafting t of clockgear No. 1, through commutator U, brush X, electromagnet J J, shafting t of clock-gear No. 2, segment H H or I I, as the case may be, brush F F or G G, as the case may be, and through electromagnets E E or E E, ac cording to red or white signal, completing the circuit at the earth A A. As above stated, the operator in reversing the semaphore-arm sets in operation the clock-gear No. 1, thereby causing the disk Q to revolve for onehalf a revolution, carrying with it on the same shafting commutators T and U, and in doing so brushes V and W close the local circuit through segment of metal on the circumference of commutator T through local battery Z and cut-off magnet Y, thereby attracting armature V V and opening the line-circuit at this point. When commutator T comes to rest, brushes V and W rest on insulating material, opening local circuit, releasing armature V V, allowing it to close circuit with point of contact cutting in Morse instruments. The same shafting t of clock gear No. 1 carries simultaneously commutator U, which makes immediate contact with brush X, thereby making the complete electrical circuit first described. That electrical impulse produces the following result: Electromagnet E E or E E, as the case may be, records upon the time-recorder at the operators station the time the signal was changed and the position in which it was permitted to rest. Electromagnet J Jalso attracts armature M M, which releases disk L L, causing said disk to revolve for one-half a revolution, thereby indicating in the operators office by a Visual sign the position in which the signal was permitted to rest. The same electrical impulse acts at the despatchers oltice on electromagnet J, attracting armature M, which releases disk L, causing it to revolve for onehalf a revolution, thereby indicating to the despatcher by a visual sign the position in which the signal at the operators station was permitted to rest.- The same electrical impulse also through electromagnet E or E at the despatchers station records upon the time-recorder the time when the signal at the operators station was reversed and the position in which it was permitted to rest. Commutator U, continuing to revolve for the balance of its half-revolution, transmits to the despatcher through contact-faces :0 or m, Fig. 6, a telegraphic sign indicating the fact that the signal at the operators station has been changed and the position in which it was permitted to rest.

The mechanical and electrical apparatus hereinabove described may be employed for the attainment of the objects and ends herein stated in detail, either upon a telegraphline with Morse instruments or upon a separate and independent wire used exclusively for the purpose of securing a check upon changes made in signals along the line of road and a record of such changes, as illustrated in the foregoing specification. ployed on a line without Morse instruments, the commutator T and the cut-out device may be omitted. Better results, of course, will be obtained from using the equipment herein described upon a separate and independent line.

My device may also be used in connection with any class of track-signals or semaphores the changing or reversal of which involves sufficient motion to release the disk Q by contact with the trigger R.

In case a separate wire is used for the transmission of the telegraphic sign indicating the position of the signal such sign will be unknown to the operators along the line of the road and can therefore only be produced by the proper manipulation of the signal apparatus; but if owing to the added expense it is not deemed desirable to employ a separate wire for this purpose information regarding the sign could be obtained by the operators from sources other than the central cities; but in order to prevent the operator from transmitting the sign indicating the position of his signal Where such sign is known to him by means of his telegraphic instrument the timerecorder already referred to, which is connected with the signaling apparatus, will indicate, as already stated, the precise time when the signal was reversed and the position in which it was permitted to rest, and the time-recorder in the despatchers office by the same action on the part of the operator and with the cooperation of the despatcher, as hereinbefore explained, will make a record corresponding exactly with the record made by the time-recorder in the operators office. It will also be seen that the time-recorder in the ofice ofthe operator can be operated only by reversing the position of the signal and the time recorder in the office of the despatcher can be operated'only by both the reversal of the signal by the operator and by the cooperation of the despatcher.

' By the use of my said electrical recording and checking apparatus a perfect check may be had upon the despatcher at the central office in the handling of train-orders and in directing thereversalofsignals,since the timerecorderin the despatchers office,with the cooperation of the despatcher, works in exact correspondence and unison with the time-re- I corder in the operators office, and this lastmentioned time-recorder can be operated only by the reversal of the signal.

The advantages of my invention are as follows: The despatcher at the central office has at all times a check upon the signal at the operators station, first, by means of the telegraphic sign transmitted by the operator in the act of reversing his signal; second, by means of the visual-signal apparatus, which will be located at some convenient place in the despatchers office in plain view and which will at all times indicate the position in which the signal at the operators station is permitted to rest; third, by means of the time-recorder in the despatchers oiiice, which will record the precise time at which the operator reverses or changes his signal and the position in which it is permitted to rest. It will be observed that these checks and records are made by means of the same electric impulse and that this electric impulse is produced by the operator in the act of reversing or changing his signal. On the other hand, a complete check is had upon the despatcher in the handling of train-orders, which require a change to be made in the position of the signal at the operators station. First, no record can be made upon the time-recorder in the despatchers ot'lice except by his cooperation in pressing the pushbntton or cam-lever, and, second, no change can be made in the signal displayed by his visualsignal apparatus except by his cooperation in the same way, so that if the records upon the time-recorder at the operators station correspond with those upon the time-recorder in the despatchers office responsibility for any signal displayed at the operators office is fixed upon the despatcher. Under this system a complete check is kept and record made of any changes made in any signal along the line of road.

In defining my invention with greater clearness I would state that I am aware that a railway signal system has been devised in which the semaphore-arm at a station was connected to an electric signal-box, so that the movement of the semaphore-arm automatically transmitted to the despatchers office a signal indicating merely the name or number of the station. My invention indicates and records the kind of signal set, and thus differentiates between danger and safety in a manner to permit the fixing of responsibility for the signal for all time for purposes of official investigation. In my invention the kind of signal is transmitted to the despatcher in three different wayst'. 6., by a record, by a visual indicator, and by a predetermined 1n ake-and-break return-signaland in which the record is a differentiating-record which makes a permanent entry not only of the time, but also of the kind of signal actually set, and this, too, at both the operators and and despatchers respective offices, thus necessarily committing both of them to responsibility for the signal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electric train-order apparatus, comprising a despatchers station, and any number of trainsignal-adjusting operators stations both the despatchers and operators stations being provided with check-signal devices connected electrically with and contemporaneously, automatically, and positively actuated by the movement of the semaphorearm or train-signal at the'operators station said signal being differentiated in kind to show Whether it be for danger or safety substantially as described.

2. An electric train-order apparatus, comprising a despatchers station, and any number of train-signal-adjusting operators stations,both the despatchers and operators slations being provided with a time-recorder connected electrically with and contemporane ously, automatically, and positively actuated by the movement of the semaphore-arm or train-signal at the operators station said timerecorder being constructed and arranged as described to record permanently the kind of signal set, as to danger or safety substantially as described.

3. An electric train-order apparatus, comprising a despatchers station, and any number of train-signal-adjusting operators stations,both the despatchers and operators stations being provided with a differentiating time-recorder for recording the time of setting a train-signal and also the kind of signal set that is to say, whether a danger-signal, or a line-free signal, said differentiating recorders at both places being electrically connected with and contemporaneously, automatically, and positively actuated by the movement of the semaphore-arm or train-sig' nal at the operators station substantially as described.

4:. An electric train-order apparatus, comprising a despatchers station, and any number of train-signal-adjusting operators stations,both the despatchers and operators stations having check-signal devices connected electrically with, and conteniporaneously, automatically, and positively actuated by the movement of the semaphore-arm or train-signal at the operators station, said signal devices being constructed and arranged to report the kind of signal, as to danger or safety, an automatic cut-out device at the operators station for breaking the continuity of the main line and grounding the same, and a push-bu tton or circuit-closer at the despatchers office for grounding that end of the line around the open Morse key and through the automatic signal-receiving devices substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the kind described, an

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electrical time recorder having duplicated acter of signal to be recorded substantially as to and differentiating record-markings for indidescribed. eating the kind of the signal as Well as its In testimony whereof I have signed my time of receipt, separate electroniagnets conname to this specification in the presence of 5 trolling separate marking devices for thel two subscribing witnesses.

difierentiated record, and commutator de- I WILLIAM H. M. WEAVER. vices With actuating mechanism for com- WVitnesses:

pleting the circuit through one or the other POPE S. HILL,

of said electromagnets according to the char- O. H. HALE, Jr. 

